# Labour participation dips to 54.6%, rural jobs shift from farms

2026-08-10T14:01:10+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

India's labour force participation rate (LFPR) for people aged 15 and above fell to 54.6% in April-June 2026, down from 55.5% in the previous quarter, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey from the Ministry of Statistics. The worker population ratio also declined to 51.7% from 52.8%. Rural LFPR dropped sharply to 56.9% from 58.2%, while rural unemployment rose to 4.8% from 4.3%. Female participation weakened to 33.2% from 34.7%. Urban unemployment held steady at 6.7%, though male urban unemployment edged up to 6.1% from 5.8%. The share of regular wage and salaried jobs increased in both rural and urban areas. Agriculture's share of rural employment fell to 52.9% from 55.8%, while the secondary sector rose to 24.4%. An estimated 56.6 crore people were employed, including 40.2 crore men and 16.4 crore women.

## Coverage

- economictimes.indiatimes.com <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/indias-labour-force-participation-falls-to-54-6-in-april-june-rural-unemployment-rises-to-4-8/articleshow/133106856.cms>
- livemint.com <https://www.livemint.com/economy/urban-unemployment-holds-at-6-7-in-april-june-as-jobs-shift-beyond-farm-sector-11786362879746.html>

Tags: female workforce, India, labour force, PLFS, rural economy, unemployment
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